No photo available
Pilotfish
Naucrates ductor
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Pilotfish
- Scientific
- Naucrates ductor
- Dhivehi
- ކަފިހި މަސްKafihi mas
- Group
- Jacks and trevallies
- Maximum size
- Up to about 70 cm (total length); commonly 40 cm (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives common to 35 cm; max. 70 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 300 m
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2013
Description
A slender jack, silvery blue with six or seven broad dark bars and white tips to the tail and fins. It accompanies sharks, manta rays, turtles and even ships, feeding on scraps from its host's meals, parasites and small prey. Juveniles shelter under drifting seaweed and jellyfish.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name kafihi mas (MRS 1997). MRS notes it keeps company with large sharks, rays, turtles, ships and drifting logs.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Naucrates-ductor.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ކަފިހި_މަސް
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Naucrates_ductor1.jpg
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Kafihi mas' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ކަފިހި މަސް' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form.